Hey kids...

bbchris · Posted: Fri May 07, 2004 1:24 am Post subject: Re: Hey kids...

Was going to direct you to Debbie's website but she's only got mp3.com links - someone needs their website updated!!!

Try ic-musicmedia.com/DebbieMannas Helen!

droolymutt · Posted: Fri May 07, 2004 3:37 am Post subject: Re: Hey kids...

Here's Debbie's IC Page, Shakes...

HKRockChick · No More Peas! Joined: 25 Nov 2003 Posts: 1513

Chris, Drooly! :kizz

I have to change the first song - God knows how that version got up there. And yes, I have to change the mp3 links too. arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh. OK, will do this today...

I dont think those songs are representative of me as I am today, but hey, they were my first writings heheh

:gl

bbchris · Posted: Fri May 07, 2004 4:01 pm Post subject: Re: Thank you

I didn't know whether to give Shaky your collab with DJ SpaceAce

HKRockChick · No More Peas! Joined: 25 Nov 2003 Posts: 1513

I'm really bad. These days I dont know whether I'm coming or going. I have to finish reading 2000 pages or more of different papers for my MSc each semester and then write a 5000 word assignment on a discussion topic. I've done two semesters already, am on my third now, and that's due mid July. Between work, masters and the bands I'm going bananas. But its all good! I LOVE what I'm studying so that helps. But the thought of updating websites tires me out. arrrrrrrrrrgh. I guess I have to do it though. :frankie

bbchris · Posted: Fri May 07, 2004 5:16 pm Post subject: Re: I know

I know what you're saying Debbie - I had to minimize my online board time to accommodate all the studying and fun I'm doing....... wooooooooooooooohooooooooooo

RonOnGuitar · Joined: 08 Jan 2003 Posts: 1916

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Ron, nice to meet you!

Back atcha, Helen!

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my production is a little rough. Some folks can look pass it, some don't. But hey! There's room for everyone.

Well, I kinda look (er...listen?) at it with a bit different take than Droolster, Helen. First cuts and demos aren't always supposed to be a finished slick product ala a "Philharmonic Surround-Sound"! Many are just basically ruff mixes.

(If someone were wanting to highlight his/her skills as an engineer/producer, of course a different rulestick is applied.)

I remember seeing on TV the fellow who signed the Eagles - he didn't think much of their demo's tech quality, but he knew they had what it takes. And your everyday Jane/Joe indie music listener-aficionado (and the general music audience, for that matter) doesn't think in terms of "well, the high end needs to be EQed and the lead's break should be pan-potted", lol. Their deciding criteria is they like the song and/or its message.

Also, some folks find that rough mixes can have their own appeal. I think my fave Liz Phair release is still "Exile In Guysville", which was decidedly lo-tech & not very expertly engineered/mixed! As she's moved more towards a more polished sound & image, it doesn't appeal to me as much as did the earlier raw Liz feel of something like "F--- And Run".

I downloaded your demo of "You Got It, Too". I think it sounds and works just fine. A few bits & pieces of the arrangement on it brought a coupla moldy oldies to mind, "House Of The Sun" (Animals) and "For Your Love" (YardBirds, I believe). But, then again, every tune that uses an Aminor to Cmajor - or Eminor to Gmajor - brings those songs to my mind, hahhaaha! So ya can't go by me!!!

Do you also have some stuff with just you & guitar, Helen?

Treacle Lilly · Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Posts: 143

Hey Ron!

I guess I've spent so much time in these "producer/engineer" forums, where folks dump on my production/performance issues that I've developed a complex, LOL!!

Anyway, I DID have some stuff with just me and my guitar, but I got so many bad comments that I took them offline. Just for you, tho', I'll see about making them available again,

Debbie, I heard Body Talk and Mother. You have a REALLY REALLY beautiful voice!! You also put down that you play guitar. Did you do lead guitar on those tracks as well?

Treacle Lilly · Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Posts: 143

I see the girls here are busy studying too, LOL!!! :gl

HKRockChick · No More Peas! Joined: 25 Nov 2003 Posts: 1513

Coming from you thats saying something Helen! Wow! Thank you! :nw

No, I dont play guitar on any of my songs any more. I composed the songs on the guitar, did a demo and then other musicians put the backing around it after I had described what I wanted. Bodytalk was done in a studio with a sessions musician Tommy Chan, who is really cool, and Mother was done in India, with a good friend of mine, Dominic doing guitar and lead. He also brought in a Tabla player, so thats real tabla on there.

I just uploaded the original bodytalk yesterday so I need to get the credits in the song info section. Gotta see if I saved my mp3 page with all details on it. These days I write stuff mainly for performing it live so it has to be more rocky/punchy. I'm kind of sore at myself for not improving my guitar skills and learning keyboards, I'd be able to do so much more with my songs then.

Helen, where are you from originally? You have a very exotic look... and do you do all your own production?

Treacle Lilly · Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Posts: 143

Debbie, that's tres cool!

Quote:
I composed the songs on the guitar, did a demo and then other musicians put the backing around it after I had described what I wanted. Bodytalk was done in a studio with a sessions musician Tommy Chan, who is really cool, and Mother was done in India, with a good friend of mine, Dominic doing guitar and lead. He also brought in a Tabla player, so thats real tabla on there.

They did a wonderful job. That recording sounds really sweet. You're very lucky to have access to musicians and like that!

I tend to do the opposite. I compose songs on my 'puter (or palm pilot, depending on how fast I wanna get my ideas down), then try to play them on the guitar. :aua

Quote:
Helen, where are you from originally? You have a very exotic look... and do you do all your own production?

I'm a native Cali girl, born and raised in San Francisco. Folks were from Russia and Yugoslavia, which probably accounts for the "exotic" look. I currently reside, and trying to get a music career started, in Reno, NV.

And, at this point, I do all my own production - there are several songs on my AL page that were co-written and produced by my friends Rick Kleffel and Jinny Royer, and one of my tunes (Phoolan Devi) was remixed by Rick Richards. The rest of it is all me (well, me, occasional guitar, MIDI, Fruity Loops, either an Oktava MK-319 or Studio Projects B-1 mic, and N-Track). I HOPE to have that changed sometime later this year.

Love, Life and Music for the sub-masses

My New CD is out NOW!!

Da Blog

Where I've been lately

Enjoy my Weed files

HKRockChick · No More Peas! Joined: 25 Nov 2003 Posts: 1513

Yes, I listened to Phoolan Devi... its very very fun. I loved the beats and how it goes full speed and then back to the original. You've used some cool indian percussion on there too. Its not too often that you see that. I love indian percussion instruments, but dont much like the strings and wind stuff - its those half tones Drooly was talking about heh. More than anything, your voice is distinct and original, and completely natural - if you know what I mean. That is so rare to find these days.

How did you get the inspiration of Phoolan Devi? I quite liked her - India's bandit queen, too bad she got gunned down.

I'm envious of the fact that you can work independently. To be able to do that to me is something I can only dream off. I have a ton of songs sitting on my harddrive with just me and geetar cause I dont have the time to sit with someone and flesh them out. My first three songs (inc. bodytalk) I paid a fair bit to get done in a studio and I decided I wasnt doing THAT again in a hurry ahahahaha.

I've just had a couple of people approach me to work with them on some original stuff. One's a professional songwriter/producer who's just moved here from the UK. He's come for a gig and sent me some of his work. So lets see how that turns out...

Keep the EPs coming. I'm surprised you've not had offers for a record deal, or have you?

Treacle Lilly · Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Posts: 143

Hey Debbie! Thank you very much. Given your background, I consider that a very high compliment, indeed. :fg

I was actually inspired to write it from an article written about her in "Liberty", which is a libertarian-oriented magazine published up in Townsend, WA. There were a bunch of ways I could have approached the lyrics in the song, since she represented so many things to so many people, especially over in India, but I decided that I related more to the "libertarian" aspect of it, myself.

All the backing that I did myself was done with MIDI and software synths, plus HEAVILY processed guitar, in the case of one track I did. If you want to hear what someone can do with all of that, Seismic Anomoly and Rick Richards are cool guys to go to for musical reference.

And no, I haven't had any record company offers. Haven't really been pursuing them. I'm currently in learning and "dues paying" mode I've just started playing out (primarily via open mikes, but still...), I need to create a little more of a back catalog (that's not filled with jokey tunes, LOL), and I also need to have proof that I can sell records, which is kinda hard to do strictly online these days. And promote promote promote! :gl

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I'm envious of the fact that you can work independently. To be able to do that to me is something I can only dream off.

It wasn't really that hard for me. It was just a matter of learning some software programs (as well as brushing up on some music theory, LOL). I'm trying to learn Reason right now...but it's really geared toward actual synth players, which I am not, LOL!!! So I'm having a bit of a problem with that one.

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I have a ton of songs sitting on my harddrive with just me and geetar cause I dont have the time to sit with someone and flesh them out.

Well, I see you and Theo are off to a good start! :me

Hopefully, this will be the start of many.

Quote:
My first three songs (inc. bodytalk) I paid a fair bit to get done in a studio and I decided I wasnt doing THAT again in a hurry ahahahaha.

And that, in a nutshell, is why I don't go to one. :wgrin

I may someday, but right now...I'm happy improving my work on my own setup.

Quote:
I've just had a couple of people approach me to work with them on some original stuff. One's a professional songwriter/producer who's just moved here from the UK. He's come for a gig and sent me some of his work. So lets see how that turns out...

Are you guys going to be gigging together? Are you currently playing around Hong Kong at all?

Treacle Lilly · Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Posts: 143

OOPss...wrong thread.

Edited by: Treacle Lilly at: 5/8/04 5:33 pm

HKRockChick · No More Peas! Joined: 25 Nov 2003 Posts: 1513

Open mics? I wish I was as invincible as I was in my teenage days. I could take the guitar and sing in front of huge crowds without a second thought. Now I dont have that much confidence in my guitar playing, but I am to change that. Yes, its all about dues, isnt it? I remember when I first came onto the HK scene, this one guy was really nasty to me - because he felt I was this little sh1t just showing up and he had to play backing guitar for me.. he used to mess with my sound and stuff. it wasnt nice.

Yes, I gig - been gigging in HK for about 2 years now. This is my band:

www.heisha.net

We do some originals which go across pretty well, but by and large our sets are covers. I am to change that though...

Do you have a band or do you gig as a solo artist?